who likes cows?

so there's random cows everywhere on the island. they aren't let loose but some of them manage to be let loose off of their ropes. they actually belong to people but i don't know.
one thing I don't get though.. so many cows around.. why isn't there fresh meat at the grocery store.. why is it all frozen? i mean... i can just steal a cow and chop him up so i can get the fresh meat.. hes right across the street.. that's one thing i dont get at all!
and on the other hand, i just tried ordering a burger since i need my red meat intake.. NO BURGERS!??
i can't even have a cheeseburger on this island.. its like seasonal.. OMGGGG i need red meat so bad :( i miss steak, beef.... if you guys dont know im a major meat eater...

imagine.. driving down the road.. then suddenly traffic starts.. you wonder why there is EVEN traffic on a two way road with no stop lights...as you slowly budge up the road to your house.. you see why there IS EVEN traffic... look below....cow traffic ladies and gentlemen..

COW TRAFFIC- instead of stoplights.. we wait for cows to cross the road slowly but surely.. LOL
oo the unique island life!

med school = not so paradise

i am pretty sure a lot of you may know by now or have observed..
i've been pretty down lately.
i was doing alright the first couple weeks when i came back to the island but ehh, alot has been on my mind lately and plus school work... that motivation is definitely hard to achieve. definitely hard to find that motivation in you to keep going..to keep studying..especially when you are dealing with so many things at once such as being alone on the island with no family and friends, massive loads of studying, and just side issues that come along the way.

life on the island..a beautiful place..beautiful beaches..It is total honeymoon paradise for COUPLES on vacation.. but a place to live? that is a big NO for a California City girl. Temporary that's all i know for me. I miss complete civilization with high technology and busy streets filled with people. I just love interactions and people. But I gotta admit, it is a place to study.. completely isolated.. what else can you do? i mean you can keep drinking, but i choose not to. i am so anti-social over here. As hard as it is to believe, Kathy Duong does a complete 360 when she gets on the island. I stay in my room to study and catch up with my friends from home.. You may ask: Do you have any friends on the island? Go make some! Of course i have acquaintances.. mainly acquaintances.. i mean we get along but not enough for me to want to take the time out to hang out. I rather stay in my room and study, watch shows/movies, talk on the phone/webcam with my friends. Back home, I make friends easily.. I am normally social, and I am sure everyone knows that.. But i don't know.. complete change of culture/environment..I somehow don't completely click with the students at my school so far..I don't have much to talk about even when i try.. I can only handle hanging out with them max like 2 hrs.. honest to god! After that, I just feel like going home because it is such a drag to be there. I mean, i've come to realize if i don't really enjoy myself, i shouldn't waste my time and instead, be more productive with my time in order for me to not fail my classes and stay on this island ANY LONGER! You can't force friendships at times.. If you don't have much things in common, it can't be helped..

don't get me wrong.. the island is chill/relaxing/perfect for vacationing..
for school.. not exactly what you call paradise.. i mean of course its med school...its full of stress and nonstop studying over here.. especially how we get like 20 months of basic sciences and to take USMLE Step 1 vs. US schools who have 24 months of basic sciences to cover it in.
- accelerated program = even more stress..

so to clear it up for some of you guys... noo i don't go to the beach everyday -_-
but i told myself that my workouts now will be swimming workouts in the ocean.. so maybe i will see the beach more often now.. no pools here so alternative: ocean.. scary thought though.. i hope nothing bites me :P

my collections of bug bites...

don't laugh... this is the torture that i go through over here...
these mosquitoes/bugs just love me.. like they are in LOVE with me in every
way possible... everyone says so too.. it's inevitable.. i'm doomed for life.
they bite me on my legs/my arms/my neck/my eyelids/my fingers..geeez louizz
someone save me. yea? thanks!

this is what i am living with until i go home..

so these are the essentials for my body and life right now..

1. I am using all those steroidal ointments/vitamin E cocoa butter/anti-histamines/vit B-12, in order to treat my skin and my sensitivity to this island :( i feel like an old woman having to worry about everything about her body! I've been taking here and there diluted clorox bath to help with my skin infection and severe outbrea of eczema from my infection.... i've never had eczema in my life....
   
2. These are the books that i should start absorbing in for the next 4 months until my NBMEs in december... so muchh :( how is my brain going to handle it?? i have to pass or i stay on this stupid island with bugs eating me alive longer... NOOO WAY!
3. The essentials that I've been using for clinics.. Littman's black stethoscope, Riester's otoscope/ophthalmoscope, and a blood pressure cuff
   

White Coat Ceremony

Welps, look at Kathy Duong growing up and wearing that white coat of hers :D
here are pictures for you guys and the fam!
since gmail takes forever to send my ginormous pictures...

Ceremony consisted at a nice hotel.. free dinner: lamb kabobs, grilled fresh fish, and other yummy caribbean dishes..